Pouring oil onto the fire
Greece’s politicians seem unable to comprehend people’s anger at the manner in which they have handled the money in the public coffers, even though the signs are visible to even the most uninformed observer. At a time when the public sector is putting a freeze on any new hirings and thousands of young people are being forced to join the unemployment line, parliamentary deputies have voted to award permanent status to a group of temporary employees in the state sector. Defenders of the move have said that the law was put in motion during the days of the previous parliamentary president. But this is not an adequate excuse. A poorly planned decision cannot be made legitimate after the fact and, in any case, the country’s public finances are in a state of code red due to the fiscal crisis and outstanding debt. Gestures such as giving permanent jobs to staff who have been hired to carry out short-term tasks only pour more oil onto the flames.
